//------------------------------//
// A Trip To Ponyville 
// Story: Ranger in Equestria 
// by Midnight Blues 
//------------------------------//

	The arrow flew true hitting its mark with a solid thunk. The pink maned pegasus toppled over and scrabbled away into the bushes. Will let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure if the equine would run or attack and had been hoping for the later. He started to make his way to the bunny but stopped when the bushes erupted. 

The pegasus flew out and stared around angrily speaking with a raised voice. The pegasus seemed to be scolding the still unseen archer before it turned around and untied the rope with its teeth. Taking the bunny it flew off towards the east. Will sat there contemplating what had just happened. He'd fired an arrow scaring off the strange pony. Then it came back and reprimanded him. Then it'd processed to somehow untie the rope and proceeded to fly off on wings far to small. He wasn't sure what surprised him more, the equine speaking in a foreign language or scolding him. 

He shook himself out of his stupor. It didn't matter, now he had a confirmed direction since the pony could apparently communicate it must have a colony or village of some kind. After collecting the rope he made his way back to his camp.

Packing the rest of the gear up he set out after the yellow pegasus. There where no tracks to follow so he had to hope her flight path stayed constant. He eventually came upon a path in the woods. One way leading east and the other west. Will headed down the eastward trail. Suddenly, there where no more trees ahead. Will stumbled and hurried back into the forest. The trees just ended on one side there where trees and on the other there where none. It was strange to say the least. 

Will surveyed the area under the cover of the forest. A little further down the path he saw the most earthy home he'd ever seen. Watching the house he saw many creatures coming and going as they pleased. Entering and exiting through windows all manner of creatures went on their way, many seemed to have built their homes near or even in the house. Will had never seen such an abundance of creatures all in one spot. 

As he watched the front door opened and out came the pegasus from before. She sang while she flew around tending and checking in on the animals. Looking down the road he could see the beginning of the most colorful village he'd ever seen. The coloring resembled what you might find in a human village but seemed more vibrant and alive with color. 

Trotting through the streets where equines going about the day in the same way a prospering human village would. He'd stumbled upon an entirely new civilization. The archway must have taken him very far away indeed. He debated how to proceed, he had shot at the yellow one she hadn't seen him but she would recognize the arrow. He should avoid if at all possible. 

There was an apple farm near the village, but farmers in his experience tend to be more prone to aggression towards strangers. He might be able to steal a few apples if he got hungry. That left the town itself. Just walking into town full of unknown equines probably wasn't the best idea. His best bet would be to wait till dark, enter the town, and look for anything to help him learn about this land and the equines deposition. With a goal in mind he set up his base of operations near enough to the edge of the forest to see anyone coming, but far enough to avoid detection to a casual observer. Someone would have to look hard indeed to find a ranger and his camp. 

The night came soon enough and Will crept out of Everfree cloaked in shadows. Sparing a glance towards the sky he marveled at the beauty of the night. The stars gleams like gems in the sky. It would be a perfect night to go undetected. Will entered the town slinking from shadow to shadow. The ranger very much in his element going about the town silent and unseen. He started his search in the from the town square slowing moving in an outward spiral. Some of the buildings he stopped and stared at for a while, he'd never seen such 'interesting' buildings. There was a bakery shaped out of various sweets and baked goods. Another was oval in shape and had structure vaguely like a circus tent with a smaller tent on top. 

Eventually he came across a house in a tree with a sign saying public library on it. This was his best bet if he was going to learn anything useful in his midnight walk. There were no lights on in the house. He tried to the door expecting it to be locked, it wasn't. Slipping through the door he found himself in the hollowed out center of the tree. There were shelves and shelves of books. 'perfect this is just what I needed, hopefully they write in the same language as me.'

He was in luck, they did write in the same language. Several books stood out to him and he began collecting a few. "Equestria and Its Neighbors", "Beasts of Everfree", and "A Brief History of Equestria". He reached for the next book, pulled it out and read the cover "Daring Do and The Temple of Huitzilopochtli". 

Suddenly lights came on upstairs and a voice yelled "Rainbow Dash I've got you now. Sneaking books away in night cause you think its uncool to be seen checking out a book"

Quickly Will dropped the book, gathered up the three he managed to collect and ran for the door all manner of stealth gone. As he reached the door he heard a voice behind him. "What in Celestia's name... your not Dash, hey wait get back here."

Clearing the door Will to cover in a nearby alley slowing down and muffling his movements. Quietly he crept out of town. He wouldn't be able to go back for awhile, but he got what he came for. Making it back to camp he was greeted by an excited Ebony who pounced and began licking him.

"Hey girl I missed you too, sorry I had to leave you here."

A wicker from Tug told him that he too had missed Will as well. There would be no fire tonight as that would be a dead give away to the now alerted town. The books would have to wait till dawn in order to be read with any legibility. Will fell asleep wondering what exactly he would find out about this equestrian race.